Kategoria: review

Review: Maono PD400X ja PM500 microphones

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Even though I follow the musical instrument and musical equipment industry quite closely, it can always happen that some new piece of gear, or a new manufacturer, goes unnoticed by me. For this reason, I was very happy when Joni from Vantaan Musiikki recently introduced me to the products of the Maono brand.

Maono is a Chinese company that specializes in podcasting, vlogging and livestreaming products. The brand offers studio microphones, wireless camera mics, podcast/streaming mixers, headphones, and audio interfaces.

I received two Maono microphones for testing:

The Maono PD400X (145 €) is a dynamic microphone that works both as a stand-alone microphone (via its XLR output) and as a USB microphone (using USB-C) with a richly specced, internal audio interface.

The Maono PM500 (159 €), for its part, is a large-diaphragm condenser mic (34 mm läpimitta).

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The Maono PD400X microphone’s appearance suggests its intended use as a podcast studio speech microphone. The PD400X is equally suitable for hanging from a suspension stand…

…as it is for use with a table stand.

The package includes the desk stand shown in the picture and a thick foam windscreen, as well as XLR and USB-C cables. The PD400X seems to be solidly made, and the weight of the microphone indicates that it is definitely not some nasty Temu-trash.

With the XLR cable, this Maono is a very straightforward dynamic microphone with an effective cardioid pattern and a very big sound.

The Maono PD400X’s internal digital sound card (48 kHz/24 bit) is activated via the USB port. At the base of the mic, you’ll find a headphone output and a three-position pre-EQ (bass cut, presence boost, as well as both simultaneously). The microphone’s large control knob works in four different ways – a short press mutes – and unmutes – the PD400X, while a longer push selects one of three control modes (microphone gain, headphone volume, and monitor balance).

The PD400X is directly compatible with Windows and Mac computers via USB, as well as Sony PS4 and PS5 consoles.

If you want to access all the microphone’s cool additional functions, you should definitely download the company’s Maono Link app. With Maono Link, you can, among other things, optimise the sound of the PD400X mic for different distances of the sound source to the microphone, use the internal audio interface’s own compressor and limiter, and adjust the equalisation more precisely.

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The Maono PM500 is the company’s straightforward, cardioid studio microphone with a large capsule (34 mm). It operates on 48 volts of phantom power.

The PM500’s solid build makes it look and feel much more expensive than it actually is.

The package includes a high-quality cradle mount, a metal pop filter that easily attaches to the cradle, an XLR cable, and a height-adjustable desk stand.

As you would expect in this price range, the Maono PM500 doesn’t offer any additional on-board features, such as a bass filter. This mic is simply placed in front of the sound source, and that’s it.

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I have to take my proverbial hat off to these Maono microphones. Despite being relative newcomers, they have managed to jump straight into the ranks of well-known quality microphones.

In terms of sound and features, the Maono PD400X is very comparable to, for example, Shure’s MV7 or MV6 microphones. The PD400X already has a big ”radio sound” from the start, to which the mic’s excellent internal audio interface (and Maono Link app) gives a professional touch.

In my opinion, the Maono PM500 plays in the same league as the recently released AKG C104. As with the PD400X, the basic sound of the PM500 is also very healthy. In studio work, the sound of the leakage picked up from the sides and back of the mic is also important, and in this area the quality of the Maono PM500 becomes very obvious.

With these specs at these affordable prices, I think it’s definitely worth checking out Maono microphones in person.

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Testipenkissä: Maono PD400X ja PM500 -mikrofonit

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Vaikka seuraan soitin- ja soitinlaitealaa melko tiiviisti, aina voi tapahtua että jokin uusi laite tai valmistaja jää minulta huomaamatta. Tästä syystä olin hyvin iloinen, kun Vantaan Musiikin Joni esitteli minulle hiljattain Maono-brändin tuotteita.

Maono on kiinalainen yritys, joka on erikoistunut podcast-, vloggaus- ja livestream-tuotteisiin. Brändiltä saa studiomikrofoneja, langattomia kameramikkejä, podcast-/striimausmiksereitä, kuulokkeita, sekä audio interfaceja.

Sain testattavaksi mukaan kaksi Maono-mikrofonia:

Maono PD400X (145 €) on dynaaminen mikrofoni, joka toimii sekä pelkkänä mikrofonina (XLR-lähdön kautta) että USB-mikrofonina (USB-C) runsaasti speksatulla, sisäisellä audio interfacella.

Maono PM500 (159 €) taas on isolla kapselilla (34 mm läpimitta) varustettu konkkamikki.

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Maono PD400X -mikin ulkonäkö viittaa sen käyttötarkoitukseen podcast-studion puhemikrofonina. PD400X sopii yhtälailla roikkutettavaksi jousitetulta telineeltä…

…kuin seisovaksi vaikkapa omalla pöytäständillä.

Paketista löytyy kuvassa näkyvä pöytäteline ja paksu vaahtomuovinen tuulisuoja, sekä XLR- ja USB-C-johdot. PD400X vaikuttaa olevan vankkaa tekoa, ja mikrofonin paino kertoo että kyse ei todellakaan ole mistään Temu-krääsästä.

XLR-johdolla tämä Maono on hyvin suoraviivainen dynaaminen mikrofoni tehokkaalla herttakuviolla ja erittäin isolla soundilla.

USB-portin kautta aktivoituu Maono PD400X:n sisäinen digitaalinen äänikortti (48 kHz/24 bit). Mikin tyvessä löytyy silloin kuulokelähtö ja kolmiasentoinen esi-EQ (bassoleikkuri, preesensiboosti, sekä molemmat samanaikaisesti). Mikrofonin isokokoinen säädin toimii neljällä eri tavalla – lyhyt painallus laittaa PD400X:n mutelle, kun taas napin pidempi painaminen valitsee yhden kolmesta säädintilasta (mikrofonin gain, kuulokkeiden volyymi, sekä monitorin balanssi).

USB:n kautta PD400X on suoraan yhteensopiva Windows- ja Mac-tietokoneiden kanssa, sekä Sony PS4- ja PS5 -koneiden kanssa.

Jos haluaa päästä kiinni mikrofonin kaikkiin hienoihin lisätoimintoihin, kannattaa ehdottomasti ladata firman Maono Link -appia. Maono Linkillä pystyy mm. optimoida PD400X-mikin soundia äänilähteen eri etäisyyteen mikrofonista, käyttää sisäisen audio interfacen oman kompressorin ja limitterin, sekä säätää ekvalisoinnin tarkemmin.

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Maono PM500 on firman suoraviivainen, herttakuvioinen studiomikrofoni isolla kapselilla (34 mm). Se toimii 48 voltin phantomisyöttöllä.

PM500 vaikuttaa vankalta olemukseltaan selvästi kalliimmalta kuin mitä se todellisuudessa on.

Paketissa tulee mikin mukana laadukas kehtoripustus, helposti kehtoon kiinnittävä metallinen pop-filtteri, XLR-johto, sekä korkeussäädettävä pöytäständi.

Niin kuin tässä hintaluokassa sopii odottaa, Maono PM500 ei tarjoa lainkaan lisäominaisuuksia, kuten vaikkapa bassofiltterin. Tätä mikkiä yksinkertaisesti pystytetään äänilähteen eteen, ja sillä siisti.

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Täytyy nostaa kuvitteellista hattuani näiden Maono-mikrofonien edestä. Uusina tulokkaina ne ovat onnistuneet hyppimään heti mukaan laadukkaiden mikrofonien joukkoon.

Soundiltaan ja ominaisuuksiltaan Maono PD400X on hyvinkin verrattavissa esimerkiksi Shure MV7- tai MV6-mikrofoneihin. PD400X:llä on jo lähtökohtaisesti iso ”radiosoundi”, johon mikin erinomainen sisäinen audio interface (ja Maono Link -appi) antaa vielä ammattimaisen silauksen.

Minun mielestäni taas Maono PM500 pelaa samassa liigassa kuin vähän aikaa sitten julkaistu AKG C104. Niin kuin PD400X:n kohdalla, myös PM500:n tapauksessa mikin perussoundi on erittäin terve. Studiotyöskentelyssä tärkeää on myös mikin sivusta ja takana poimittujen vuotoäänien soundi, ja myös tällä alueella Maono PM500:n laatu on hyvin selkeä.

Näillä spekseillä ja näillä edullisilla hinnoilla kannattaa mielestäni ehdottomasti tutustua henkilökohtaisesti Maono-mikrofoneihin.

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Raysen Handpan – missä musiikki ja meditaatio kohtaavat

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Handpan on melko uusi tulokas viritetyn perkussion soitinryhmässä, joka ilmestyi noin 15 vuotta sitten, samoihin aikoihin kuin tongue drum -serkkunsa.

Handpan koostuu kahdesta kellomaisesta puolesta, joita on liimattu yhteen niin että soitin muistuttaa hieman ufoa. Yläpuoliskolla on keskellä suurin soittoalue – ns. Ding – josta saadaan handpanin perusäveltä. Alapuoliskon keskellä taas sijaitsee handpanin ääniaukko, nimeltään Gu.

Kaikissa handpaneissa on soittimen yläpuolen sivussa yksi rivi erikokoisia soittoalueita; mitä suurempi alueen läpimitta on, sitä matalampi sen tuottama ääni. Perus-handpaneista saadaan yhdeksän eri säveltä – Dingin tuottama perusävel plus kahdeksan äänistä koostuva sävelasteikko.

Jotkut mallit tarjoavat laajemman sävelkirjon lisäämällä handpanin yläpuoliskolle toisen rivin soittoalueita. Välillä lisätään jopa soittoalueita handpanin alapuoliskolla.

Handpanit soitetaan joko sylissä tai puutelineen päällä makaavana. Handpania soitetaan yleensä käsillä tai sormilla – Ding-perussäveltä lyödään tavallisesti soittoalueen kuvun keskeltä, kun taas muita säveliä saadaan kuulumaan soittoalueiden reunoihin lyömällä.

Vantaan Musiikki tuo maahan varsin laajan valikoiman kiinalaisia Raysen-handpaneja. Saimme testiin yhdeksänäänisen mallin arabilaisella hijaz-sälvelasteikolla.

Raysen HP-M9 C# Hijaz (1.100 euroa; laadukas bägi kuuluu hintaan) on täysikokoinen handpan (läpimitta 53 cm) ruostumattomasta teräksestä.

Laadukkaan handpanin valmistukseen kuuluu runsaasti käsityötä, mikä näkyy luonnollisesti myös soittimen hinnassa. Etenkin soittoalueiden tarkka virittäminen vie paljon aikaa.

Lähes kaikki Raysen-handpanit ovat saatavilla joko standardivireessä (a’ = 440 Hz) tai aasialaisessa virityksessä (a’ = 432 Hz). Testissä käynyt Raysen HP-M9 C# Hijaz oli standardiviritteinen malli.

Handpanin perustekniikka saadaan nopeasti haltuun, minkä jälkeen voi tutustua panin sävelasteikon tarjoamiin mahdollisuuksiin.

Koska handpanin rakenne on hyvin kellomainen, yhden soittoalueen lyöminen tuo esiin myös harmonisia lisä-ääniä soittimen muista sävelistä. Myös handpanin perussävel soi usein hiljaa muiden äänten taustalla.

Handpan sopii loistavasti world music -genreen, mutta on myös oiva taustasoitin meditaatio- tai joogaistuntoon.

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Review: Northstar Guitars NS-1 HSS, NS-1 HH, NS-2 & NS-3

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This review was originally published in FINNISH.

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How do you know that a new feature or phenomenon is here to stay? By finding this feature in instruments priced under 300 euros.

Northstar Guitars is a new brand of affordable electric guitars that focuses on heat-treated wood (also called “roasted”) in the necks of their Fender-style models. At first, heat treatment was only a feature found in custom shop instruments. Over time, roasted necks began to be available in mid-priced electric guitars as well. And now they can even be found in affordable instruments.

The whole idea behind heat treatment is to change the properties of recently felled wood into old and well-dried wood. When done correctly, heat treatment improves the sound of the entire guitar, and it also reduces the movement of the wood in response to the changing seasons.

Northstar Guitars is the brainchild of British company Tanglewood, known for its acoustic stringed instruments, which are manufactured in Asia. The company’s experience in both supplier selection and quality control has now been channelled into this new affordable electric guitar collection.

We received four electric guitars for this test from Northstar’s importer, Musamaailma – three Fender-style models, and one Les Paul copy.

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Northstar NS-1 HSS ja NS-1 HH (229,– € each)

Northstar Guitars has chosen the NS-1 model number for its Strato-like models. The company only offers a limited number of colour options, which is a deliberate decision that keeps the price of the guitars down.

The NS-1 HSS guitar comes in a finish called Inca Silver, while the HH version comes in a finish called Charcoal Frost. Both are beautifully executed metallic colours.

Both instruments use roasted maple for the neck and fingerboard. The wood looks beautiful, and there is even a slight flame visible on them.

Interestingly, the degree of roasting of the necks and fingerboards is different on the HSS and HH guitars, which is why the position marks on the NS-1 HH are a bit difficult to see, especially in dim lighting.

The Northstar NS-1 instruments use solid poplar for the bodies. In this price range, the affordability of the wood outweighs weight concerns, which is why the HSS model is comfortably medium-weight, while the HH guitar is already a bit heavier.

The workmanship of the Northstar NS-1 models is very neat, for example the quality of the fretwork is clearly among the best in this price range.

Everything seems to be in order in terms of the quality of the metal parts in the Northstar NS-1 guitars. The tuners are of the modern, enclosed and permanently greased variety, while the vibrato bridges are vintage-style (but with a slightly thinner block).

The pickups of both models use ceramic magnets. The HSS option has two single-coils and an open humbucker, while – as its name suggests – the NS-1 HH is an option with two open humbuckers. In the HSS model, the electronics consist of a five-way switch, as well as a master volume and two tone controls. The HH guitar has a three-way selector, as well as master volume and tone controls.

The playability of the Northstar NS-1 HSS and NS-1 HH is first-class. The guitars have identical neck profiles – a nice medium D – and the playing feel is fast and effortless.

The single coils on the NS-1 HSS sound deliciously dynamic and have a good dose of “woodiness”. The guitar’s humbucker pickup is well balanced with the single coils in terms of its output level, and this pickup also has a certain vintage style to its sound.

The NS-1 HH is clearly aimed at rock-minded players, as the pickups have a little more power and a very deliciously rough attitude.

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Northstar NS-2 (229,– €)

The model number of Northstar’s Tele guitars is NS-2. The test instrument is finished in a creamy Vintage White colour.

The basic materials of the NS-2 are the same as those of the NS-1 guitars – a roasted maple neck, roasted maple fretboard and poplar body. Here too, the bolt-on neck has been given a thin matte finish, while the body is gloss lacquered.

Here too, the fretboard’s roast is relatively dark, which can make it difficult to see the fret marks in low light.

Since the NS-2 is a Tele-style instrument, the guitar naturally has a vintage Tele-style bridge. In this case, it is a so-called top-loader bridge, where the strings are not passed through the body, but rather anchored to the back wall of the bridge. This solution was found in original Teles from 1958/59, and its idea then was to speed up and facilitate the construction of the guitar.

Some claim that a top-loader bridge is a bad solution that degrades the guitar’s sustain and sound, but I haven’t noticed anything untoward about this Northstar. Well-known top-loader fans include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Jim Campilongo, and both guitarists’ signature models feature this supposedly inferior bridge solution. So much for online rumours…

The workmanship and playability of the Northstar NS-2 are also of a very high level, and this test specimen was the lightest guitar in the test.

The original Telecaster was designed to offer the widest possible range of sounds – the bridge pickup is a bright and rootsy country and rock pickup, while the neck pickup offers a very warm and round jazz option. The ”both-pickups-at-the-same-time” selection, which only officially entered the picture in 1967, has adds some great funk sounds to this recipe.

The Northstar NS-2 offers good versions of these sounds with a small early-1970s emphasis, which has a bit more bite than the early 1950s Teles. This guitar will give you some great James Burton-style sounds from Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas era.

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Northstar NS-3 (359,– €)

“And now for something completely different…”

The Northstar NS-3 is a Les Paul Standard-style electric guitar from Northstar. The NS-3’s body is carved from poplar. The maple neck is glued to the body and the bound fingerboard is rosewood.

The body and back of the neck are finished in a glossy Charcoal Frost metallic color.

The NS-3’s hardware consists of a tune-o-matic bridge and a stopbar tailpiece, as well as enclosed tuners with metal Kluson-style knobs.

The Northstar NS-3’s pickups are covered humbuckers. In addition to a three-position toggle switch, the guitar has four controls – each pickup has its own volume and tone controls.

Again, the workmanship and playability leave nothing to be desired in this price range. Based on the test sample, the weight of the NS-3 is still within reasonable limits. The neck profile is – as befits this type of guitar – a slightly rounder D, and it fits my hand very comfortably.

The Northstar NS-3’s pickups are not spoiled by excessive power, and they sound deliciously creamy and very dynamic. Thanks to the surprisingly high-quality pickups, this model covers a wide range of sounds – from clean and warm Jazz to rough 1970s Rock and modern Metal.

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Review: Epiphone SG Special VE

Alkuperäinen suomenkielinen versio tästä jutusta löytyy Rockway-blogissa.

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The Epiphone SG Special VE (”street price” around 240 euros in Finland) is currently the cheapest official SG replica. The letters VE stand for “Vintage Edition”, which refers to the model’s matte finish.

On the website of Epiphone’s importer – Algam Nordic – the SG Special VE is only available in matte black and matte brown (i. e. walnut), but on Epiphone’s own website the cherry red matte finish is still listed as an option. I would guess that all three options are still available at Finnish music stores.

The Epiphone SG Special VE looks a lot like the company’s own version of Gibson’s 1970s model “The SG”, especially in the walnut finish.

Should you fancy a gloss finish and chrome covered pickups, I can point you to the brand-new Epiphone SG Tribute model, which will probably replace the Special VE over time.

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The Chinese SG Special VE is a very affordable instrument, which is why the guitar offers slightly unconventional detail solutions in some areas. However, the workmanship is of surprisingly high quality throughout – at least on the review instrument.

The Epiphone’s body is carved from poplar. Poplar is a basic, good instrument wood, its only ”flaw” being the wood’s dull grain pattern, which is why Music Man, for example, only uses it for solid-coloured instruments.

On the SG Special VE, this has been solved by gluing very nice looking veneers of African mahogany onto the flat middle sections of the body (front and back). This trick also preserves the traditional mahogany look of SG guitars in the VE model.

The Fender-style neck joint is a very rare solution in Gibson-style guitars these days, but it fits well on this affordable SG, especially since the joint is really tight and neat. The Epiphone SG Special VE’s neck is made of beautiful Gabon mahogany (another name for the wood is okoume). The neck is basically a one-piece affair, with a second piece added for the upper end of the headstock. The glue joint is visible below the e-string tuners.

Although this is not mentioned anywhere in the official specs, the SG Special’s reddish rosewood fingerboard has been given black plastic binding. The fingerboard is neatly fitted with 22 medium-sized frets, as well as round pearloid fingerboard inlays.

The hardware department consists of Epiphone’s Lock-Tone bridge and tailpiece, as well as inexpensive closed tuners. These machine heads are regularly criticised, for example in YouTube videos, for being ”bad at keeping the guitar in tune”.

In reality, this perceived problem is based on the fact that modern tuners usually have a tuning ratio of 18:1 or even 20:1. The pair of numbers tells us how often the tuner knob must be turned so that the tuner’s post (where the string is attached) turns one full turn. Special VE’s very affordable tuners, on the other hand, operate with a “coarse” ratio of 14:1 – the same ratio seen on many acoustic guitars from the 1970s. These old-fashioned tuners have a slightly jumpier character when it comes to tuning – it is very easy to turn past the correct pitch – and also have significantly more “play” than modern machine heads. As long as you remember to always tune each string up from flat to the correct pitch, these tuners work reasonably well, and there are no problems with tuning stability.

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The Epiphone SG Special VE features the company’s own open 650R and 700T humbuckers, which are very powerful pickups with ceramic magnets. This pair of pickups represent Epiphone’s affordable take on Gibson’s 1970s Dirty Fingers humbuckers, and they have a very strong midrange and big bass.

Traditionally, two-pickup Gibson or Epiphone electric guitars often have a group of four controls in addition to a three-position toggle switch. For modern guitarists, a master volume control that affects the entire guitar is – especially in live situations – often a more functional solution than individual controls for each pickup. Also for beginners, a solution like the SG Special VE, which offers only master volume and master tone controls in addition to the switch, is clearly a better option.

The electronics compartment of the Epiphone test guitar is very clean, as are the solder joints. The parts themselves are – naturally – inexpensive, but I didn’t find anything to complain about in terms of functionality.

Can a guitar in this price range, with a bolt-on neck and a body made from ”the wrong type of wood”, be a real, proper SG? Comparing the Epiphone with three other SGs, I can say that the short answer is “yes!”

I find it very funny that both Gibson’s and Epiphone’s headquarters are apparently afraid to tell people about the real neck profiles of their guitars. Everywhere you look these days, it (almost) always says “slim taper D-neck”, regardless of the model. Do Epiphone’s decision-makers really think that players would be afraid of anything other than thin 90s profiles?

In reality, the neck profile of the Epiphone SG Special VE model is a nicely rounded, but not too thick D-profile, which I think suits an SG-style instrument very well.

There was nothing wrong with the review instrument’s set-up, and the guitar’s playability is more than okay, especially considering the Special VE’s low price.

The Epiphone’s balance on the strap is even slightly better than on many average SGs, because the neck sits about two centimeters deeper in the body than usual, due to the Special VE’s bolt-on neck.

The Epiphone SG body sits nicely in the lap and hangs comfortably against the player’s body when using a strap.

The review instrument’s acoustic voice is very healthy, and I didn’t find any disturbing dead spots.

If you use the Epiphone SG Special VE model with a vintage-style amplifier that doesn’t have a master volume control – like, for example, with a good Fender Champ copy – the instrument’s hot pickups get more distortion out of the amplifier, which I think is a good thing.

With effects pedals, it’s worth using the SG Special VE’s well-functioning master volume, because some effects – for example, some overdrives and many modulation effects – can easily ”clog up” with very hot pickups. But this is what controls on an electric guitar are for.

In my opinion, the Epiphone SG Special VE is a surprisingly nice guitar for the money. It offers a lot of mileage at a really budget-friendly price. If you like the look of the SG, the Special VE is definitely an instrument worth trying out.

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Does a Groove Tubes FatFinger really add sustain?

Does a Groove Tubes FatFinger-clamp add sustain to an electric guitar?

** Listen with headphones or using stereo monitors! **

My own little test proves inconclusive, with the results seemingly more dependent on things such as plectrum attack and vibrato than on the FatFinger.

In the clean clip the track without the FatFinger seems to sustain longer, while in the overdriven clip the result seems the other way around.

• Guitar: 2006 Epiphone SG (G-400)

• Pedal: Mad Professor Simble OD

• Microphone: Sennheiser e609

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